From pv magazine global

Rheem’s new air-source heat pump has passed the U.S. Department of Energy’s Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge. The US-based heating specialist released the Endeavor Prestige series in March. It reportedly has a heating performance factor (HSPF2) of up to 8.5 and a coefficient of performance (COP) of between 1.5 and 2.0 at 17.6 F.

“We were not surprised that our team of dedicated, innovative engineers at Rheem developed a residential heat pump that was able to provide 77% of nominal heating capacity at −26 C ambient temperature and provided uninterrupted heating operation at −30.5 C ambient temperature surpassing expectations and delivering top quality performance,” said Jeff Goss, director of product management for Rheem.

The new cold climate heat pump reportedly delivered a 5% higher COP during heating under 32 F ambient temperatures than the challenge specification. Rheem said the unit also performed at a 9% higher HSPF2 than the challenge specification.

The Endeavor Prestige heat pump has a heating capacity between 7.03 kW and 17.58 kW. The smallest model measures 1,147 mm by 918 mm by 918 mm, while the largest measures 1,300 mm by 918 mm by 918 mm by 918 mm. It uses R-410a as the refrigerant and it operates at 59 dBA to 73 dBA.

U.S.-based Carrier and Johnson Controls, as well as Ireland-based Trane Technologies, have also developed prototypes for the field-testing phase of the Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge. Lennox was the first manufacturer to successfully develop a prototype, winning the Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge in June 2022.